Then, half raising himself, he gave, with all the power of his voice,
the well-known call.

Solimin--for it was indeed he--paused as the sound caught his ears, and
snuffed the wind. Again came the call; he wheeled, plunged, threw his
rider, dashed forward, broke through the bushes, and in a second was on
his knees before his old master.

"Up, up, my father! there is no time to lose!" cried Mustapha, grown
stronger in a moment. "Up, up! for the robbers are close upon us!"

In fact, wild cries and clouds of dust showed that the foe had taken
the alarm, and were hurrying on. But already Ahmed and Mustapha were
mounted, and Solimin, like a ship at full sail, was speeding away with
them. And where was the camel could overtake him, even when he was
loaded double? Fast and swift his long, swinging trot bore them onward,
and before two hours were gone, all traces of the pursuers had
disappeared behind them, and they were free to turn their course toward
the brown tents where rest, and food, and welcome had waited so long
for their coming, and where, after a little time, their hardships and
sufferings seemed to them only like a bad dream.

As for Solimin, he hardly could be more tenderly treated or beloved
than before this adventure; but if the freshest water, the prickliest
furze,--if bowls of sour milk;--if a triple necklace of shells,--if
brushing and grooming,--if soft pats from childish fingers, and sweet
names murmured in his ears by girlish voices can make a camel happy,
then is Solimin the happiest of heries. Solimin no longer, however. His
name is changed to "The Blessed," in memory of the day when, like a
stately ship, he came over the desert sea, and bore his starving
masters to home, and life, and liberty.

BELINDA BLONDE

BY LAURA E. RICHARDS.

Belinda Blonde was a beautiful doll,
With rosy-red cheeks and a flaxen poll;
Her lips were red, and her eyes were blue,
But to say she was happy would not be true;
For she pined for love of the great big Jack
Who lived in the box so grim and black.
She never had looked on the Jack his face,
But she fancied him shining with beauty and grace;
And all the day long she would murmur and pout,
Because Jack-in-the-box would never come out.
"Oh, beautiful, beautiful Jack-in-the-box!
Undo your bolts and undo your locks!
The cupboard is shut, and there's no one about;
Oh, Jack-in-the-box! jump out, jump out!"
But alas, alas for Belinda